Improvement in draw-bars



W. WIMER. Draw-Bars.

No. 212,078.. PatentedFreb. 4, 1879.

DUNITED STATES PATENT GFFIGE.

WILLIAM WIMEB, OF UNION CITY, INDIANA.

IMPROVEMENT IN DRAW-BARS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 212,078, dated February 4, 1879; application iiled April 19, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it' known that I, WILLIAM WIr/mn, ot Union City, in the county of Randolph and State of Indiana, have invented certain Improvements in Oar-Brakes, of which the followng is a specication:

In the accompanying drawing, which fully illustrates my invention, the iigure is a perspective View.

The object of my invention is to furnish a brake that will be operated by any one of a train of cars, which, by its weight in jumping the track, sets the brake in force on the succeeding car, and at the same time uncouples the train immediately behind the displaced car.

The invention consists in having the bottom of the draw-head formed of a` separate piece and pivoted at its rear extremity. This pallet is perforated to receive the coupling-pin, and has an arm extending downward, to which is loosely attached a link, which is secured to a pivoted lever. A spring holds the pallet in position at the lower side of the draw-head, and the lever, by suitable connections, operates the brakes.

The ordinary hand-brake is attached, so as to operate the brakes by hand, it' `desired.

Referring to the drawin g, A represents the draw-head, and B the pallet, pivoted thereto, from which pallet, rigid therewith, and extending downward, is an arm, b, and attached thereto a link, b', surrounded by a spiral spring, K, which serves to hold the pallet B in position at bottom of the draw-head. The spring is held by suitable stays, and allows the link b to move through it freely.

D represents a lever, pivoted at the center, one end attached to the link b', and the other to a chain, which extends to the brake-lever F, to which it is secured. The brake-leverF has attached to it two chains, leading in opposite directions to the brake-bars on each side of the wheels, and between these two chain attachments is the pivot of the brake-lever. The lever D is beveled on one edge, and such beveled portion operates upon a curved ratchetbar.

I J represent the ordinary features of a hand-brake, the chain being attached to the brake-lever F.

The operation of my invention is obvious. A car jumps the track, the weight of the falling car upon the coupling-link forces the pallet of the succeeding car downward, and puts the brake on in full force, and at the same time completely uucouples the cars at this point. The ratchet catches the lever I) when at its utmost tension, and thus locks the brake.

The result aimed at and anticipated is the cars succeeding the one thrown from the track will be saved from injury or destruction.

lt will be noticed that in the operation of my invention no part or portion of the cars on the track is injured.

Iclaim as newl. A draw-head with fallin g pivoted bottom having brake attaehmen ts, as described, whereby the cars are uncoupled and the bra-kes applied automatically, as specified.

2. The pallet B, link b', and spring K, combined with a lever and ratchet adapted to apply the brakes and hold them in force by the fall of the pallet B, as shown and specified.

3. The brake-bars H H, combined with the pallet B and connect-ions, whereby the brakes` are applied by the fall ot' the pallet, as specified.

4. rlhe lever F and ratchet-lever D G, with their connections, combined with the pallet B and brake-bars H, as shown and specied.

WILLIAM WIMER.

Attest:

A. B. SCHUYLER, C. S. HARDY. 

